The load out- a guide and example (pic heavy)

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DanBow

Nomad
Nov 29, 2010
269
11
Wrexham, North Wales
as so many other have already said, thanks for the list. As a newbie with NO idea of what I might need this is invaluable.

I might, at the age of 37, write a letter to Santa.
 
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Neumo

Full Member
Jul 16, 2009
1,675
0
West Sussex
Nice list. I have seen those thin roll up chopping boards in fancy kitchen shops but I like the idea of taking one out in the field, as I always end up balancing part of my lunch/dinner on something.. Must look ot for a 6" x 8" sized one. 2nd tarp is a good idea as well; I had one set high above my fire at the moot, that worked well, so I could sit round a smallish fire without getting rained on.
 

Chinook220

Forager
Jan 7, 2010
143
6
Warwickshire
best piece of advice i would like to offer is spend as much time as you possibly can choosing and buying a sleeping bag. British army 90 bag is a good start (a little bulky) but youll never be cold. Same goes for a backpack, doesn't matter how good the rest of your kit is if your sore and aching because your pack doesn't fit, or rubs. unless your unlucky enough to have carried to much weight in a bad/ill-fitting pack you will never understand how quickly it will drain your moral and enthusiasm. after all we do this for enjoyment.

regards chinook
 

norfolkjohn

Tenderfoot
Aug 21, 2010
92
1
norwich norfolk
GREAT !!!! as a newbie found this very interesting & a pleasure to read.
I am getting my own kit together and as you say its a personal thing,will shortly be going to my first group meeting.
And hopefully get to go on some courses.
 
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darrenleroy

Nomad
Jul 15, 2007
351
0
51
London
This is now in my bookmarks and will be used as a reminder. I've gone the Hobo Stove route because I'm always in the woods with plenty of fuel but like the small packing size of the Honey Stove. I guess flexibility is the key.
 

Emdiesse

Settler
Jan 9, 2005
629
5
Surrey, UK
Fantastic thread, I love the idea of a 'modern fire pouch' and the wax impregnated paper sounds like just the item I was missing on my last excursion!
 

leealanr

Full Member
Apr 17, 2006
140
6
66
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
I enjoyed this, well put together and informative.

I also always take a kettle (trangia or kelly depending on foot, canoe or car). They save on fuel and water and just "add" something.

bivi bags are great, I have used my Goretex bag in Austrian Motorway service areas in winter, Scottish mountains, lowland and all kinds of other locations, I never travel without one.

would like to see the waxed paper in action, have been thinking of melting some candles down, or heating vaseline and then impregnating cotton balls, but paper looks just as good.
being in the desert another fire starter included in my kit is always a magnifying glass.

Now getting older, I am a lot more of a wus and use an Exped inflatable down mat to sleep on. Packs up a lot smaller than any of my thermarests, which I like a lot as well.

Thanks for the great thread, good to see lots of others ideas as well.

Alan L.
 

Sparrowhawk

Full Member
Sep 8, 2010
214
0
Huddersfield
Fantastic thread Beast! I really appreciate the time and effort you put in. It's one of those subjects you always either think "I'm too shy to ask" or "everyone will do it their own way anyway". So Thanks a lot.
Just out of curiosity how do you cook the bacon you take on your trips? Didn't see a frying pan in your kit.
And actually this goes for everyone: How do you cook using the least amount of cooking tackle?

All the best,

Josh
 

treefrog

Full Member
Aug 4, 2008
650
35
South Yorkshire
Following on from the great start on this subject from Wilderbeast, I thought i'd add my kit. As earlier there is no right and wrong, just personal preference. Having carried my share of heavy loads in the past, I've looked at ways of lightening my kit. My outdoor background includes mountaineering, so packing big loads up steep hills stops being fun the older I get.
I've been lucky to have links with the outdoor trade for many years and have been able to acquire my kit without too much expense (what?…that old thing, I've had it ages dear….:)). Anyway as i wait in for a delivery, here's my contribution to losing weight.

1. Something to carry your outfit in
Previously I've used 70 litre Berghaus Roc in canvas but it is heavy compared to modern rucksacks. It's included here inspired by the canvas Crusader thread.
I like simple designs and now use a 50 litre Pod Thin Ice in dyneema, which has a starting weight of around >1kg. I've never got on with side pockets (handy though they are) and don't like the 'wideload' feeling in the woods and hills. If it won't go in the pack, it won't go.

DSCN1569.jpg


2. Something to sleep under
As I spend a lot of time above the tree line most of the time I use a GoLite SL3 tent, which I can still rig as a tarp in the woods with it's top hanging loop. The other option is an Aus hoochie (or two) if I need an admin area in wet weather.

DSCN1567.jpg


3. Something to sleep in
Down bags for me too. The weight/warmth ratio is excellent and in the many years of sleeping out doors I've never had a bag too wet to sleep in. With proper care a down bag is fine. This one is a Rab Alpine 300 which is swapped for a Rab Alpine 600 in winter. I use a Rab Survival Zone bivi bag as a waterproof cover for the sleeping bag and have used it to sleep out under the stars on summer nights.
Drybags are the way forward for carrying them.

DSCN1572.jpg


4. Something to sleep on
I like the 3/4 self inflating mat Alpkit used to make. It's compact enough to fit inside the rucksack to stop it snagging or getting wet. In winter can be upgraded to a downmat 7dlx.

DSCN1571.jpg


5. Navigational equipment
My favourite compass is the Silva type 4. I've replaced the one on the right with a more modern one (centre) as I don't have much call for mils these days and the perspex has become cloudy with use.
The GPS is a Garmin Oregon 300, great for confirming what you should already know ;)

DSCN1553.jpg


6. Something to cook over
A great little cooking unit from Evernew. The Ti DX, uses meths or as a small wood burner. Nests inside a Ti pot.

DSCN1555.jpg


7. Something to cook in
Titanium again to keep the weight down. The Vargo Ti-lite pot has a potcosy to reduce fuel consumption and fits inside the larger Snow Peak 900 pot if i need to take more than one pot. The frypan lid i have lined with non-stick tinfoil to make cooking/cleaning easier.

DSCN1559.jpg


8. Something to carry water in.
I like hydrating on the move, so use camelback rather than water bottles. Water filtering comes from a travel tap bottle, and a roll up water bottle for keeping water around the campsite.

DSCN1566.jpg


9. A mug
A good little optional brewkit for the top pocket includes (yes more Ti :)) a MSR mug and Vargo Decagon meths burner with Vargo meths bottle.

DSCN1561-2.jpg


10. Eating utensils
I've not really liked the lightmyfire spork and prefer the Guyot MicroBites plastic knife (spatula) and fork combo. Cooking and serving is easier with these. If eating something other than packet food there's a Ti KFS set. This one was from Alpkit, though they stopped stocking it.

DSCN1562-1.jpg


11. Medical kit
For the mountains i carry a really simple kit, plasters, painkillers, ambulance dressing, and ducktape. Everything else needs a helicopter :)
For lower level and general campsite i take a more comprehensive kit. If i take an axe, i will take Israeli dressings. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMRklQkfDLE easy to apply yourself and gives good compression.

12. Illumination at night
Petzl Myo with lithium batteries for extended use and cold weather. Petzl e-lite lives in my pack for emergency lighting. Black Diamond Orbit LED Lamp for campsite use.

DSCN1550.jpg


13. Wash kit
Simple wash kit with small hotel soap in a dish , alcohol based hand cleaner and lipsalve. (Can lubricate kit, waterproof a leaking zip with it too if needed)
Toilet set with light weight plastic trowel, paper, lighter and handwipes. Trowel is durable enough to dig a fire pit too.

DSCN1551.jpg


Possibles- odds and ends to make life comfortable
A selection of other tools depending on where I'm off to. Small tin contains tinder kit (Hamaro wax paper etc) and lighters.
The knives are Puma Whitehunter, F1 and Mora 510 carbon. The Mora usually makes it for the weight saving :)

DSCN1564.jpg
 
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